Air spring with a sensor arrangement

Abstract

An air spring ( 100 ) for a vehicle is provided. The air spring comprises a first mounting element ( 110 ) for being fixed to a vehicle's chassis ( 210 ), a second mounting element ( 120 ) for being fixed to a movable part ( 220 ) of a vehicle being movable with respect to the chassis, a bellow ( 130 ) extending from the first mounting element to the second mounting element and including an air volume ( 140 ), and a sensor arrangement ( 150 ) being arranged within the air volume. The sensor arrangement is adapted for sensing at least one of a road condition, a vehicle condition and a pay load condition.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An air spring system comprising:
 a first mounting element adapted for being fixed to a chassis of a vehicle;   a second mounting element adapted for being fixed to a movable part of the vehicle,
 wherein said movable part is movable with respect to the chassis of the vehicle; 
   a bellow extending from the first mounting element to the second mounting element,
 wherein the bellow includes an air volume; 
   a sensor arrangement completely contained within the air volume,
 wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of sensors; 
   a control unit adapted for receiving sensed signals from the sensor arrangement; and   a wireless power supply adapted for wireless transfer of power to the sensor arrangement.   
     
     
         22 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor arrangement further comprises a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting sensed data to an external receiving unit. 
     
     
         23 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the wireless power supply is adapted for wireless transfer of power from outside of the air volume to inside of the air volume. 
     
     
         24 . The air spring system of  claim 23 , wherein the wireless power supply comprises an induction loop, wherein the induction loop is arranged at an outer surface of the bellow. 
     
     
         25 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the wireless power supply is positioned within the air volume of the bellow. 
     
     
         26 . The air spring system of  claim 25 , wherein the wireless power supply comprises an induction loop, wherein the induction loop is arranged at an inner surface of the bellow. 
     
     
         27 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to conduct a signal profile analysis based on the sensed signals and correlations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the sensor arrangement includes a first accelerometer and a second accelerometer,   the first accelerometer is fixedly mounted with respect to the first mounting element and the second accelerometer is fixedly mounted with respect to the second mounting element, and   the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer are mounted to allow a differential mode measurement with respect to the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer.   
     
     
         29 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the sensor arrangement includes a first gyroscope and a second gyroscope,   the first gyroscope is fixedly mounted with respect to the first mounting element and the second gyroscope is fixedly mounted with respect to the second mounting element, and   the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope are mounted to allow a differential mode measurement with respect to the first gyroscope and the second gyroscope.   
     
     
         30 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one temperature sensor and at least one microphone. 
     
     
         31 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the control unit is further adapted for evaluating the sensed signals upon at least one of a road condition, a vehicle condition and a payload condition. 
     
     
         32 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the control unit is further adapted for:
 accumulating the sensor signals from each sensor arrangement in each air spring on the vehicle; and   providing a status of the vehicle based on the sensor signals from each of the sensor arrangements in each of the air springs on the vehicle.   
     
     
         33 . The air spring system of  claim 21 , wherein the control unit is further adapted for comparing the sensed signals and correlations thereof with known signal profiles to identify and recognize a current signal profile. 
     
     
         34 . An air spring system comprising:
 a first mounting element adapted for being fixed to a chassis of a vehicle;   a second mounting element adapted for being fixed to a movable part of the vehicle,
 wherein said movable part is movable with respect to the chassis of the vehicle; 
   a bellow extending from the first mounting element to the second mounting element,
 wherein the bellow includes an air volume; 
   a sensor arrangement completely contained within the air volume,
 wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of sensors; 
   a control unit adapted for receiving sensed signals from the sensor arrangement; and   a wireless power supply adapted for wireless transfer of power to the sensor arrangement wherein the wireless power supply is positioned within the air volume of the bellow,
 wherein the wireless power supply comprises an induction loop, and 
 wherein the induction loop is arranged at an inner surface of the bellow. 
   
     
     
         35 . The air spring system of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least two different types of sensors, wherein the at least two different types of sensors are selected from the group consisting of: a gyroscope, a microphone, a temperature sensor, an air pressure sensor, and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         36 . The air spring system of  claim 34 , wherein the control unit is further adapted for:
 accumulating the sensor signals from each sensor arrangement in each air spring on the vehicle; and   providing a status of the vehicle based on the sensor signals from each of the sensor arrangements in each of the air springs on the vehicle.   
     
     
         37 . The air spring of  claim 34 , wherein the control unit is further adapted for comparing the sensed signals and correlations thereof with known signal profiles to identify and recognize a current signal profile. 
     
     
         38 . The air spring system of  claim 37 , wherein the sensor arrangement includes a first sensor coupled to the first mounting element and a second sensor coupled to the second mounting element, wherein conducting the signal profile includes comparing a measurement from the first sensor with a measurement from the second sensor. 
     
     
         39 . An air spring system comprising:
 a first mounting element adapted for being fixed to a chassis of a vehicle;   a second mounting element adapted for being fixed to a movable part of the vehicle,
 wherein said movable part is movable with respect to the chassis of the vehicle; 
   a bellow extending from the first mounting element to the second mounting element,
 wherein the bellow includes an air volume; 
   a sensor arrangement completely contained within the air volume,
 wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of sensors; 
   a control unit adapted for receiving sensed signals from the sensor arrangement; and   a wireless power supply adapted for wireless transfer of power to the sensor arrangement wherein the wireless power supply is positioned outside of the air volume of the bellow,
 wherein the wireless power supply is adapted for wireless transfer of power from outside of the air volume to inside of the air volume, 
 wherein the wireless power supply comprises an induction loop, and 
 wherein the induction loop is arranged at an outer surface of the bellow. 
   
     
     
         40 . An air spring system comprising:
 a first mounting element adapted for being fixed to a chassis of a vehicle;   a second mounting element adapted for being fixed to a movable part of the vehicle,
 wherein said movable part is movable with respect to the chassis of the vehicle; 
   a bellow extending from the first mounting element to the second mounting element,
 wherein the bellow includes an air volume; 
   a sensor arrangement completely contained within the air volume,
 wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of sensors; 
   a control unit adapted for receiving sensed signals from the sensor arrangement; and   a means for wirelessly transferring power from a power source external to the air volume to the sensor arrangement internal to the air volume.